David adds details to what people are doing while God punished him for his sins. They gossip. Gossip causes troubles. It is an infection that eats away at not only the subject of the gossip, but also families, society, and the one supplying the gossip. Gossip often contains exaggeration and lies. Gossip adds to the self-interest and attention to the lips that provide it. Lying lips are one the most mentioned sins in the Psalter. All social groups have gossips, congregations not excluded. Jesus experienced the poison of gossiping lips.
David did not take vengeance, even though he was king. Instead, he asks God four things for these gossipers in verses 27 and 28. 1) Make they guiltier than ever, 2) Do not forgive them, 3) Take them out of the book of the living, and 4) Remove them from the list of the innocent.
David concludes by summing up his situation again and asking for God’s protection and safety. Are you a gossip? Here is some advice from God.
“A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” (Proverbs 11:13) “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” (Proverbs 16:28) “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks to much.” (Proverbs 20:19) “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips…” (Romans 1:29) “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” (Proverbs 12:22)
